Trap



LSOBS@ ugo 5 w24@ A. E. @GEES TRAP Filed March 2, 1922 /lVl/E/VTOH A. @Ms BY A TTHNEYS l Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

1,503,480 PATENT ori-uca.

.ALLEN B. COBBS,` OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRA?.

Application led March 2, 1922. Serial No. 540,524.

To all whom t may concern.:

. Be it known that I, ALLEN B. CoBBs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a. new and useful Improvement in Traps, of which the followin is a full, clear, and exact description.

y invention relates to improvements in traps for catching vermin, such as rats, or the like, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a trap which automatically resets itself after catching a mouse or the like. l

A further object of my invention is to V.provide a device of the character described which may be readily baited.

A further object of my invention is toV provide a device of the character described in which one bait will be sufcie'nt for a number of catches. Y

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the releasing trigger is adjustable.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which is simple in construction, eiiicient for the purpose intended, and which isiot likely to easily get out of order.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specication, and the novel features of the lnvention Will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a section along the line 1--1 of Figure 2, Fi re 2 is a section substantially along the hne 2-2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a top plan view on a reduced scale of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 1, with the cover removed. v

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a container 1 which is adaptedto hold a liquid 2 therein, such as-water, or the like.` An inclined board 3 is adapted to rest upon` the supporting surface and to lean against the side of the-container 1. The-tra comprises a frame 4 which is adapted to be disposed over the open top of the container 1. Asplearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the frame 4 comprises side members 5, and end members 6 which are secured to each other so as to provide a rectangular opening 7.

The frame 4 is provided' with a groove 8 which is adapted to receive the sides 9 of a 10, which is disposed opposite to the board '3, is adapted to be normally closed by a door 11. The door 11 is hingedly secured to the frame 4by means of a spring hinge 12. A trap door 13 is disposed in the opening 7 so as to entirely close the latter. The door 13 is pivotall secured to the frame 4 by means of a ro 14 which is carried by the door 13, and which is pivotally mounted in bearings 15', the latter being carried by the frame 4 (see Figure 2). As shown in Figure 1, the rod 14 is disposed adjacent to one end of the door 13, and the door 13 is heavier on its shorter end so as to counterbalance the longer portion. In other words, when the door 13 is free to swing, the heavierend 15 of the door will swing the door to the position shown in Figure 1. To prevent t e door from swinging beyond the.

made wider from a point 16 adjacent to the 3U-shaped cover 10. The end of the cover rod 14. This widened portion 17 is adaptj ed to be receivedin a groove 18 which is disposed. in the under side of the frame 4. From this construction, it Will be apparent that the door 13 is prevented from swinging upwardly beyond the groove 18.

A trip or trigger 19 is pivotally secured to a supporting member 20 which in turn is adjustably secured to the door 11. It will be seen from Figure 1 that the member 20 is provided with a threaded shlank 22 which is disposed in a slot 23. A nutl 24 holds the member 20 in adjusted position with respect to the door 11. The upper end of the trigger 19 is pointed so as to readily receive abait 25. The trigger 19 is so disposed that the hook portion 26 thereof is adapted to support the door 13, whereby the door is locked in horizontal position. The thick portion l15 of the door 13 is adapted to freel swing through the o ening 7 when the oor 13 is swung into t e dotted line position shown in Flgure 1.

' From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readil understood. When baiting the trap, the e 4 is tilted so as to swing the weighted trigger 19 from the full line positionto the dotted line position, thereby freeing the trigger from the door 13. The door 11 may now be swun outwardly from the cover 10 about its spring hinge 12 so as to permit the trigger 19 to be baited. The bait 25 is then placed on the pointed end of the trigger 19 and the door 13 is permitted to resume its normal position. As heretofore stated, the door 13 is counterweighted by the thick portion 15 thereof, so as to normallykeep the door 13 in a horizontal'position. The door 13 is' also adapted to swing the trigger 19 about its pivot as it swings into normal position. Y.

A mouse, or the like, attracted by the bait 25, will ascend the board 3 and will move across the door 13 so as to obtain the bait 25. As soon as the mouse nibbles on the bait 25 and draws it toward him, the trigger 19 will be swung into the dotted line position, and will release the door 13, whereupon the weight of the mouse will cause the door to swing into the dotted line position and to drop the mouse into the fluid. In case the container 1 is deep, the thick end 15 of the dooris prevented from swinging beyond its vertical position, due to a chain 27 which connects the frame 4 with the door 13. As

" soon as the mouse has been dropped into the {iuid 2, the door 13 instantly resumes its normal position and is held in place by the trigger 19. It will be observed that the lower end of the trigger 19 is beveled or tapered at 28 so as to provide a cam surface to the trigger. The trap is now reset for the neXt operation. It is obvious that one baiting of the trap will be suiiicient for a great number of catches, since the mouse or other vermin, has not removed the bait from the trigger before he is dropped into the fluid. It is further to be noted that the container 1 may be a pail or the like. The frame 4 may be of any desired size so as to catch vermin of various sizes.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have provided a simple and eiiicient device which is adapted to catch a great number of mice or the like during each baiting of the trap. I further provide a device in which the trap may be readily baited. The device is simple in operation, and is not likely to easily get out of order.

I claim:

l. A trap comprising a horizontal frame having an opening therein, a gravity oper-- ated trap door pivotally mounted on said frame and arranged to normally close said opening from beneath, and a vertically adjustable trigger supported upon said frame arranged to normally latch said door, said trigger being fashioned to receive a bait, whereby the trigger may be actuated when the bait is moved to occasion the release of said trap door.

2. A trap comprising a horizontal frame, a trap door carried by said frame, a U- shaped cover for said frame, a springpressed door normally adapted to close one end of said cover, and a trigger carried by said door and being adapted to hold the door in closed position, said trigger being adapted to carry a bait thereon.

3. A trap comprising a horizontal frame, a trap door carried by said frame, a U- shaped cover for said frame, a springpressed door normally adapted to close one end of said cover, a trigger support adjustably secured to said second named door, a trigger pirotally carried by said support, said trigger being adapted to normally hold the door in closed position.

4. A trap comprising a horizontal frame, a counterbalanced trap door pivoted off center, said door being carried by said frame, a U-shaped cover adapted to house said door, a spring-pressed door adapted to close one end of said cover, a trigger support adjustably secured to said second named door, and a trigger pivotally carried by said support and being adapted to normally hold said door in closed position, said trigger having a point on its upper endfor the carrying of bait.

ALLEN B. COBBS. 

